Sant Cugat del Vallès is asking the Catalan Government for more flexible access rules in natural spaces closed because of African Swine Fever (ASF) controls. Mayor Josep Maria Vallès is due to meet Agriculture Minister Óscar Ordeig to discuss an alternative within the legal framework.
The request follows a letter from the mayor asking for changes to the current restrictions. According to department sources cited by ACN, any adjustment will depend on the epidemiological situation. The ministry says the measures remain in place to stop the spread of the virus, which has also affected events such as a Tour de France stage routed through Collserola.
Vallès says the closures have affected daily use of areas such as Volpelleres urban forest, Pi d'en Xandri and Torrenegra, all within Collserola Park. He said about 5,000 people a day used these spaces and asked for exceptions for public areas that residents rely on for walking and exercise.
The ministry has said some exceptions already apply, including school routes such as the path used by Avenç school in Sant Cugat, and restaurants inside Collserola Natural Park. It says each request is assessed case by case using technical criteria and the instructions of the expert committee.
The mayor also pointed to a film shoot on Incasòl land on the old golf course near Rubí, where the film L'últim druida stars Russell Crowe. Department sources said the site was approved in February, but only on the condition that it was fully fenced and access was controlled to prevent virus spread. Rural Agents later found the enclosure was incomplete, and the department says the promoters have not responded to communications. A legal demand will now be sent to the production company.
Separately, a Sant Cugat resident has launched a Change.org petition calling for access points to Collserola Natural Park to reopen. The petition says the mountain range is essential for the physical and mental well-being of people in affected towns, while still recognising the need to protect animal health. It also says wild boar numbers have fallen sharply and that there are no large pig farms in the area that would be affected by the outbreak.